Feb. 24, 2003
George H. Diller
NASA Kennedy Space Center
321/867-2468
RELEASE: 21-03
FIRST MARS EXPLORATION ROVER ARRIVES AT KSC TO BEGIN PREPARATION FOR LAUNCH
The first of two Mars Exploration Rovers, MER-2 arrived at the Kennedy
Space Center today from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
Calif. The cruise stage, aeroshell and lander for the Mars
Exploration Rover-1 mission also arrived today. This same flight
hardware for the MER-2 rover arrived January 27, however this rover
is scheduled to arrive at KSC around March 10.
The Boeing Delta II vehicle for the first launch of the two launches
scheduled on May 30 is planned for erection on the pad at Space
Launch Complex 17 beginning April 18. The Delta for the second launch
on June 25 will begin erection activities on May 1. Each spacecraft
will receive a MER-A or MER-B designation once they arrive at the
pad.
While at KSC, each of the two rovers, the aeroshells and the landers
will undergo a full mission simulation. All of these flight elements
will then be integrated together. After spin balance testing, each
spacecraft will be mated to a solid propellant upper stage booster
that will propel the spacecraft out of Earth orbit. Approximately ten
days before launch they will be transported to the launch pad for
mating with their respective Boeing Delta II rockets.
The rovers will serve as robotic geologists to seek answers about the
evolution of Mars, particularly for a history of water.
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